The mainstream media “goes easy” on President Obama because a number of high-level Democratic political operatives are married to people in the media, like National Security Advisor Susan Rice and ABC News executive producer Ian Cameron.

The Truth:

The claims in this forwarded email are true, but a number of them are outdated as well.

TruthorFiction.com investigated an earlier version of this chain email that named a number of connections between the media industry and the Obama Administration. Our story on that version of the eRumor can be found here

Advertisement

Another version of the eRumor went viral in February of 2015. That version includes a number of new connections between political operatives and people who work in news media, which is commonly referred to as “media incest." Here’s a look at each claim:

Susan Rice and Ian Cameron are married – Truth! & Outdated!

Susan Rice and Ian Cameron met while attending college at Stanford University and married in 1992. But Cameron left ABC News at the end of 2010 after spending 13 years with the organization. Cameron said he wanted a job that allowed him to spend more time with his family.

CBS President David Rhodes and Ben Rhodes, a deputy national security advisor to President Obama, are brothers – Truth!

It’s true that David Rhodes and Ben Rhodes are brothers. The connection between the brothers drew criticism after CBS Evening News opted not to report on an email written by Ben Rhodes that reportedly demonstrated how the Obama Administration had shaped talking points surrounding the deadly attacks in Benghazi in 2012.

Advertisement

CBS later said that David Rhodes had not been involved in the decision, and that an earlier broadcast that did report on the email included a disclaimer about the brothers’ relationship.

Matthew Jaffe, a reporter for ABC News and Univision, and Katie Hogan were married in 2012. But Hogan later left her position as deputy press secretary and is now identified as a spokesperson for the nonprofit group Organizing for Action, which grew from President Obama’s reelection campaign.

ABC President Ben Sherwood and Elizabeth Sherwood, special advisor to President Obama, are siblings – Truth!

It’s true that Ben Sherwood and Elizabeth Sherwood are siblingsElizabeth Sherwood was named as the White House coordinator for defense policy, weapons of mass destruction and arms control in March of 2013.

CNN’s Virginia Moseley is married to former Deputy Secretary Tom Nides – Truth!

Advertisement

It’s true that Virginian Moseley and Tom Nides were married in 2012. At the time, Moseley was a producer for CBS News. Moseley was named a vice president at CNN in 2012 — but not the network’s president, as the eRumor claims.

A real example of the eRumor as it has appeared on the Internet:

IF YOU HAD A HUNCH THE NEWS SYSTEM WAS SOMEWHAT RIGGED AND YOU COULDN’T PUT YOUR FINGER ON IT, THIS MIGHT HELP YOU SOLVE THE PUZZLE.